Sunday, October 11, 2009

Dogs

The dog. I think it's something of a universal fear amongst folk who ride bicycles. And tonight, I had a first hand encounter with one of these cycle menaces.

My new friend Aaron was making a pit stop on the side of the road so I was passing the time by circling my bike back around the cycle route. Suddenly, I hear some whistling and a bit of barking. A bit more whistling, a bit more barking and then ZOOM! A dog is headed straight at me, full speed, no holds barred.

I take off. Now, the polo bike has become my main source of transportation these days. I've set it up to work with a 30 x 16 gear ratio, which is some super light gearing that is highly effective in a polo game, but it can ultimately be bad for one's self esteem as all the other bike people give you hell for spinning your cranks like a maniac.

Luckily, a 30 x 16 gear ratio is good for outrunning dogs, too.

I zoomed across a wet bridge with an impossible turn, jumped the edge of the curb and headed heedlessly into traffic. The dog was on my rear wheel for about 12.5 seconds before panting away in a huff of disappointment.

"Are you okay?" Aaron asks as he catches up with me down the bike path. Between heaping laughs, all I can say is 'ya gotta watch for them dogs;' even in Amsterdam.